The last class finished quickly, but Minho's mind was elsewhere. After all, he had made Jisung feel bad, which frustrated him. No matter how hard he tried to do something right. He always messed up everything.

He studied hard and got regular grades, but his parents were still dissatisfied as his grades weren't as good as Seungmin's. He danced even the most difficult choreographies, but his parents didn't care. Besides, he tried to protect Jisung as best he could, but in the end, he pushed him away or made him feel bad. The idea that he couldn't be perfect or, at least, pretend to be was starting to tire him out.

When the bell rang announcing the end of classes, he hurried to collect all his things and put them in his backpack. He couldn't wait to see the boy he liked and talk to him, even though his mind was still full of thoughts that made him nervous.

Finally, he arrived at the classroom, where Jisung kept some books and notebooks. The sunlight filtered through the windows, bathing his face with a golden glow. Minho felt his heart beat fast, it would burst out of his chest.

He took a deep breath and approached Jisung, letting out a long sigh, which surprised the other as he hadn't seen him arrive. Finally, after a while, he spoke, although his voice sounded weaker than he imagined.

"Sorry for bothering you if I did, Jisung. I just wanted to be nice and help you because you don't seem well, and it doesn't make me feel good to know that you're not even sleeping in your room when you should be." He bit his lower lip nervously. "I just want to be your friend and help you, but it seems like you want me away, and I'll stay away if you tell me. I'll stop bothering you..."

Minho looked at him intently, worried about his reaction. He could have talked about the letter, but everything would have become more awkward, and that was the last thing he wanted.

Jisung, on his part, felt overwhelmed, and guilt invaded him as he thought that maybe he had been too cruel to Minho. He didn't want to push him away. Jisung only felt lost, so he didn't know how to deal with everything.

"What? No, you didn't bother me." His words came out almost in a whisper, with a fearful tone, as if he didn't want anyone else to hear them, and he lowered his head.

A heavy sigh from him caught Minho's attention, and he moved a little closer, making Jisung look at him. His frown relaxed as he saw his eyes filled with tears, which made him sigh before wiping away the ones that escaped from his cute and bright eyes.

"Don't cry, Jisung..." Minho said in a soft and comforting voice. "I just wanted to be honest with you. I didn't want to make you cry."

Guilt began to take over him, and he let out a shaky sigh. Well, he always ruined everything. It was no longer that surprised him.

He looked at his hands, noticing that Jisung's fists were tense and that he had hurt himself with his nails. Minho caressed the area carefully and realized how Jisung relaxed a little under his touch. Without saying anything else, Minho hugged him, holding him close and letting his emotions flow freely. He could feel Jisung's agitated breathing and his tears wetting his shirt, but he didn't care.

Finally, the older pulled away a little and opened his eyes, admiring his eyes, and smiled.

"Be my friend, Han Jisung," he said, almost whispering.

Those words resonated as a perfect melody, causing so many things inside him. His tears increased, but this time, tears weren't of sadness but of an overwhelming joy. He had finally found someone in school who accepted him as he was without judging him. It was such a beautiful feeling that filled his heart with gratitude and love for the boy in front of him.

For a long time, he had longed to find a person like that, someone who genuinely cared about him. He had had several friends throughout his life, but they all ended up disappointing him, and he hoped that Minho wouldn't because even if he didn't want to, he was becoming a valuable boy in his life. Although they had barely spoken, he felt they had a unique connection, as if they were two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly.

The physical closeness, combined with the comforting words of his new friend, calmed Jisung down little by little until he finally stopped crying.

At that moment, he realized that they were alone in the classroom.

"Minho, I'll be your friend. Thank you for everything," he said with a slightly hoarse voice, his throat hurt. "I was just scared, but now I realize I shouldn't have been since you're not even a bad person." As soon as he felt his throat start to itch, he made him move away a little from him to cough and not infect him with whatever he had. "Regarding your invitation... I would love to go, but I'm scared of the other boys who will be there. I don't think I'm very good at talking to new people. Sometimes I get too nervous, especially with the most popular ones in school."

He started to shake uncontrollably due to the cold. It was clear that sleeping outdoors had been a mistake, and he was paying for the consequences.

Worried about his friend's well-being, Minho wrapped his arms around Jisung, providing warmth. He looked him straight and smiled, conveying a sense of security.

"You don't have to worry," he said. "My cousin is very kind and friendly, so I don't think he'll scare you. As for his friends, I have no idea because I haven't had any conversations with them, but you can be calm. And if they do something to you, I'll defend you, trust me."

Minho noticed that Jisung was still shaking, so he took his sweatshirt out of his backpack and then put it on him. He saw that it was too big on Jisung, although it was actually like that when he wore it since he liked that style of clothing, which was loose and comfortable. Seeing Jisung with that garment, he couldn't help but smile. He looked cute.

"I like seeing you like this, smiley boy," confessed Han.

"Oh, thank you," Minho laughed, feeling a warmth in his cheeks. He wasn't used to receiving compliments. "We should go now. We can play video games when we get there or watch a movie in the cinema at my house," he suggested.

He separated momentarily to hang the backpacks on his back, both his and Jisung's and then took his hand, which made the other blush instantly.

"Do you have a cinema?" he asked in amazement. "I don't usually watch many movies, but I would love to go."

"Yes, we have it. It's one of the best things about living in a big house. It's always fun to watch movies." He smiled widely. "Oh, I think it's going to be a fun afternoon. I'm excited."

Jisung returned the smile and started to play with the other's hands.

"Yes, I'm excited too," he said. "Thanks for inviting me, Minho."

"You don't have to thank," he replied, giving him a gentle squeeze on the hand. "I will always make you have a good time with me."

Jisung felt warm and comforted by his new friend's words. He had spent so much time feeling lonely that it was strange for him to have someone who really cared about his well-being. But Minho seemed genuinely kind and caring, and Jisung felt a new feeling for that.

Shortly after, the two of them left the school. Jisung began to feel a bit uncomfortable as he noticed that the other students' eyes were at them with contempt. He heard murmurs of people saying things like "He's surely using him" and "He just wants his money," even some more cruel ones of people wondering how such an ugly and poor boy like him could be with someone as beautiful and rich as Minho. Even though the words hurt him, Jisung didn't cry. Somehow, the warm hand of the other calmed him down.

Minho guessed that Seungmin had taken care of spreading throughout the school that they were cousins, and he understood the reason why all eyes were on them. It was funny how people tried to get into his life when he had gone unnoticed for being just another one of the bunch.

"By the way, you look like Seungmin in many aspects," Jisung said in a low voice.

Minho tried not to grimace at what he said. Would even his friend start comparing him to his cousin? It was exhausting. He wanted to stop being his shadow and only be someone unique to the people he knew.

"No, we don't look alike," he said, without giving too many explanations, biting his lower lip at the awkward silence between them.

Although Jisung thought it was true, he preferred not to say anything else about it so as not to annoy him. He shrugged and smiled.

They continued walking for a few minutes, feeling the afternoon's cool breeze caressing their faces, until finally, the younger one broke the silence.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have made you uncomfortable with my comment about your resemblance to Seungmin."

Minho noticed how his friend had lowered his head as if he was ashamed of his words and felt a surge of gratitude for having realized it.

"Don't worry," he replied with a warm smile. "I know you didn't mean to make me feel that way."

After that, the tension between the two friends dissipated, and they began to speak animatedly about more cheerful and fun things. They talked with enthusiasm and expressive gestures, and Minho noticed how Jisung's eyes shone like two very bright stars.

As they approached the bus stop, they passed an ice cream shop that Minho visited frequently. He would have liked to invite him there but decided not to do so to prevent his friend, who had a cold, from getting sicker.

They took public transportation, a bus that moved through the streets of Seoul, and through the windows, they could see people walking on the sidewalks, bright ads, and tall buildings that rose in the sky.

After a short trip, they arrived at Minho's house. It was colonial style, with two white columns flanking the entrance. Jisung wondered how many people lived there and felt intimidated by the grandeur. The house had gold and white tones, with a large spiral staircase leading to the second floor. Minho slipped off his shoes and put on the slippers next to the main door, leaving a pair for Jisung.

"Are you hungry?" Minho asked. "We could order something to eat. I'm craving fried chicken," he left the backpacks at the entrance and stretched a little.

Jisung bit his lower lip nervously. He didn't want to make Minho uncomfortable, so he smiled kindly.

"I... I'm vegetarian, but thanks for the offer, I guess," he stood still in his place and observed cautiously everything around him.

"Oh, really?" Minho asked, looking a bit embarrassed for not having known it before. "I'm sorry. I guess I can order something that you like." He scratched his neck a little and heard Jisung say that he didn't apologize.

At that moment, Jisung tilted his face and kissed his cheek softly, causing Minho to blush instantly.

Minho tried not to say anything and took his hand, leading him to his room. Upon opening the door, the first thing Jisung saw was a vase with red tulips, which made him smile as he remembered that he had tried to send the same type of flower to Seungmin.

He looked around quickly and noticed the room was spacious and bright, with large windows that let in the afternoon light. There was a double bed with a white and fluffy duvet and a wooden headboard carved with intricate details. In addition, there was a wooden desk and a bookshelf full of books, some of them messy on top.

On the sky-blue walls were framed photos of Minho and his friends, and he could see details like the smiles captured in those pictures, which made him feel even more comfortable in that space. Despite the mess, he felt welcomed by the relaxed atmosphere and the comforting scent of the vanilla-scented candle that Minho had just lit.

"Make yourself at home, Jisung. You can relax and rest as much as you want," he said, lying on his bed and looking at the ceiling while a smile adorned his face.

The other one smiled and sat on the bed, enjoying the comfort of the mattress. At that moment, Minho spoke again.

"Do you want to talk about anything in particular?" He sat beside and gently caressed his hand, generating a warm and pleasant sensation on his skin.

"Not really," Jisung replied. "I just wanted to thank you for making me feel welcome here."

Minho nodded with a smile and hugged him, saying that he would always be there for him, making the two of them stay hugged, enjoying the company and warmth of each other. After a few minutes, Minho got up from the bed and handed his phone to Jisung so he could choose what he wanted to eat. He received it with embarrassment.

"I'll go get some medicine for you. Wait for me a moment," the older one said before leaving the room.

Jisung nodded and began to look at all the possible food options on the phone. His fingers slid smoothly over the screen as he immersed himself in various gastronomic options. Finally, he chose the cheapest option and one of the few vegetarian meals available so that Minho wouldn't spend too much money because of him. It was a delicious portion of french fries.

Minho returned with a pill and a glass of water in his hand. Jisung thanked him for that and tried to swallow it, but he knew it would be challenging. It was at least the fifth attempt, and finally, he managed to do it with great effort.

However, in less than ten seconds, everything he had eaten and drunk in the day came out violently through his throat, staining the floor of Minho's room, making him gasp in surprise. Jisung apologized hastily and began to tremble, wanting to disappear from the embarrassment he felt and wishing to clean up quickly before the smell of vomit filled the room.

But before he could do anything, Minho approached Jisung, helping him get up and taking him to the bathroom so he could drink fresh water and reduce the taste of vomit.

"God, you must be very sick," he murmured worriedly, taking Jisung back to his room with careful steps. He laid him down on the bed and covered him with a blanket. "Stay here. I'll clean everything up and take your temperature to see if you have a fever."

Jisung wanted to clean up the mess he had caused himself but felt too exhausted. Meanwhile, Minho got to work and set out to eliminate any trace of vomit on the floor, making sure the room smelled fresh and clean again. He quickly erased the food order list on his cell phone and decided to cook a delicious vegetable soup for his friend.

He washed his hands and walked over to where Jisung was, carrying a thermometer and a damp cloth for his forehead. When he got to the bed, he saw the younger one shiver under the blanket and rub his hands, trying to generate heat in his body, but his efforts seemed futile.

"I'm fine. Let's just play or watch a movie..." Jisung said with a fake smile.

He moved a little, trying to sit in bed, but Minho stopped him gently.

"You're not well, Jisung, and I realize you are someone too stubborn. Lie down, and I will be your personal nurse." He took him by the shoulders and laid him back on the bed, covering him with the blanket.

Then, with a smile, he placed the damp cloth on his forehead. He also passed him the thermometer to put it between his arm and chest, and Jisung obeyed quickly.

"I'm not stubborn," he finally protested. "Besides, I don't understand why you want to be my personal nurse. I don't want to bother you."

"You're so stubborn," he replied. "And you don't bother me, silly. I care about you, so I need you to be okay."

"I'm sorry..." Jisung said with a slightly muted voice, but the older one laughed softly and assured him there was nothing to apologize for.

After a while, Minho checked his temperature and frowned. Jisung had a fever, and he complained about this, which made Minho sigh with concern.

"I'll go get another pill for you to feel better," he said as he got up from the bed.

"I don't want to swallow it." When Minho came with the medicine, Jisung grabbed his arm and snorted. "It's disgusting."

Minho wanted him to open his mouth to give him the medicine and water, so Jisung preferred to give up and listen to him.

"I can't do it," he complained as he felt the pill dissolve in his mouth, having a bitter and unpleasant taste.

"You have to swallow. Don't let it dissolve in your mouth." He urged him, gently stroking his back as Jisung made gestures of disgust.

"I'll do my best," he replied, taking several sips of water until finally, after many attempts, he swallowed it.

Minho left the empty glass aside and got up from the bed to turn on the TV at a low volume. He looked for a classical music channel and left it there. Then, he went to the bed and lay down next to Jisung, who hugged him and closed his eyes.

"If you feel bad, just tell me, please," Minho said with concern.

"With you here, I'll stop feeling bad," he replied, appreciating the comforting presence of his friend. Jisung didn't understand why he made him feel so good if he barely knew him, but he felt lucky to have someone who cared and treated him with such kindness.

Minho caressed his hair gently, smiling tenderly as the other fell asleep. He supposed he would cook the soup for him at another time, but at the moment, he would let him rest.

As Minho watched him sleep peacefully, he couldn't help feeling a surge of emotions as he thought about the letter he received on Valentine's Day. It had been valuable and meaningful. And it had left him with a very warm feeling.

However, it also caused a lot of anxiety in Minho. How would Jisung react if he found out he had the same feelings? Would it be too soon to tell him?

He thought a bit and decided it would be better to wait a little longer before telling him. He wanted to know that his friend felt well. Besides, he wanted to do it at the perfect time and in the right circumstances.

But for a while, he was happy to be there, enjoying his company and taking care of him, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal his true feelings.

Minho already wanted the day to come when he told Jisung he liked him too.

(...)

Jisung woke up abruptly, his body trembling and sweating profusely due to a terrible nightmare he had. In it, he saw his new friend walking away from him, and his voice sounded like a distant whisper as he said he never loved him.

At the moment Jisung was awake, tears flowed uncontrollably from his eyes. He felt his throat tight and sore from the knot that had formed in it, and his heart beat with wild force. He felt vulnerable and wanted to hug something or someone that made him feel safe.

Careful not to wake Minho, he curled up on his chest, feeling the warmth and security that emanated from him. The other's chest rose and fell gently with each breath, conveying a sense of calm and peace that enveloped him.

When he was calming, a sound made him look up. The door opened slowly, revealing the figure of Seungmin, who had a face of not understanding anything. Jisung felt a shiver and moved the smiley boy with his trembling hands to wake him up.

Minho frowned, finally opening his eyes, and saw Jisung a little scared. He sat up immediately in bed when his mind processed that.

"Mmm, Ji, what's wrong?" He looked at the door and saw Seungmin there, then snorted. "Why didn't you knock on the door?" He got up from the bed and approached Seungmin. "What do you want?"

Seungmin seemed a bit uncomfortable, and it showed that he was trying to find the right words to explain himself.

"I just wanted to know how you were, Minho. I didn't mean to interrupt what you were doing," he said with a suggestive tone that embarrassed him because he knew Seungmin was implying things that hadn't happened.

He had felt nervous about that, but that took a backseat when Jisung left the room without saying anything, looking down.

Was it a bad thing that Seungmin thought something had happened between them?

He passed by his cousin and ran downstairs, quickly putting on his shoes when he saw Jisung leave the house. Minho tried to speed up to catch up with him until he grabbed his arm. At first, the younger one felt alarmed, thinking it was a dangerous stranger who wanted to steal him. He was ready to hit him, but when he recognized Minho, he lowered his fist and sighed in relief.

"Why do you always run away from me?" The older one asked with sadness in his voice. "Did you get upset by what Seungmin said?"

Jisung shrugged, lowering his head at his words, feeling guilty. Tears began to cloud his eyes, but he held them back with force because he didn't want the other one to see him cry.

"I just want to go back to the dorm. I can't stay here," Jisung replied, feeling some tension in his throat. He hadn't been bothered by what Seungmin said. It had just saddened him. He liked him very much and wanted him to know, but he thought that would no longer be possible. "It was just a bit weird because we're nothing."

Jisung looked him in the eyes, smiling as he tried to remove Minho's hand from his arm.

"Do you... like Seungmin?" The older one questioned after those words stung in his throat and seemed to have hit the nail on the head when Jisung stopped struggling for his grip, softly pressing his lips, although he relaxed.

Jisung didn't want him to know. He was afraid Minho would mock him because he liked an unattainable.

Minho smiled calmly, nodding his head. God, he felt so stupid. Obviously, Jisung liked Seungmin, and at that moment, he understood why he always got nervous with him.

"Don't worry, it's okay. I understand how you feel. I'm not here to judge or make you uncomfortable," Minho said. "Well, well, I'll see you tomorrow. Bundle up well to sleep. Otherwise, you could get worse."

Jisung felt somewhat relieved by his answer, although he perceived his discomfort in the way he averted his gaze and sighed. The air was heavy with a dense silence as if a black cloud had settled over them. Jisung wanted to explain everything with a lie, but Minho had already turned around to go home.

The pain manifested itself in the older one's chest as a constant pressure that left him breathless. He could taste the bitter disappointment in his mouth and perceived the fresh air as oppressive, suffocating him.

His thoughts kept spinning in his head, remembering every moment he had felt attracted to Jisung, every smile and every look he had given him. He remembered how he had wished with all his might to be loved by him, how he had tried to get closer, and how his efforts seemed to have been in vain.

He wondered why he thought someone would finally love him. He always created these false illusions, and when he realized it wasn't so, his heart broke. However, this time hurt more than the previous ones because he was in love with Jisung and had been trying to earn at least his friendship. He remembered how Jisung's eyes shone when he looked at Seungmin while he wanted him away.

When Minho returned to his room, he saw his cousin sitting on his bed with a paper in his hands. At that moment, he realized that it was the letter.

Well, at that moment, he understood everything. That letter had never been for him.

"Jisung likes you," he said. "That letter was for you, but it somehow landed in my hands. You should give him a chance. He's a good guy."

Seungmin sighed and looked at his cousin.

"Thanks for telling me," he finally said. "I would like to give him a chance, but first, I have to clear some things with him. I don't want to hurt Jisung or make him believe I feel the same if I don't."

Minho nodded with understanding. His heart hurt inside, but he didn't let him notice that.

"I understand," he replied with a calm tone. "Just make sure you talk to him soon. You don't want to miss the opportunity to get to know him better."

Seungmin nodded and smiled.

On the other hand, Jisung moped with his gaze lost on the ground, trying to think what he had done wrong. He sighed deeply and took his phone out of his pocket, looking for his mother's number. With trembling hands, he called her and waited anxiously for her to answer.

Finally, after several tones, she answered, and he asked her to come and pick him up, mentally thanking the woman for not asking him too many questions.

As soon as she arrived, Jisung got into the car with his mother and felt relieved to breathe the familiar scent of her perfume, a mix of jasmine and vanilla. Jisung apologized for not answering her calls before and confessed that he didn't like being in the student residence and that school was very hard for him. Despite this, she could perceive that there was something else, something that her son didn't want to tell her.

Finally, she parked the car in a quiet place and wrapped him in her arms, making him soon start to cry.

After a while, they finally arrived, and both left the car. Although the boy had managed to calm down a little, he was still unwilling to open up and tell her what was happening.

They entered the house, which was small and old-fashioned but had a cozy and warm feel. His mother offered him something to eat, but Jisung declined kindly, saying he was too tired and retired to his room to sleep for a while.

However, his plan was interrupted by the arrival of a text message from Minho, who had gotten his number from a classmate. He snorted and opened it.

"Hey, Jisung, it's Minho. I hope you're feeling better. Tomorrow, we'll start the plan to make Seungmin notice you. What do you think?"

Minho was a fool to say that, but it was something a friend would do. He couldn't be selfish and put his needs above those of the boy he liked. He just couldn't be like that.

"Hi, Minho. I'm feeling better now. Thanks for taking care of me. And I don't like Seungmin. Anyway, thanks for your kindness."

Jisung turned off his phone and hugged himself. He just didn't want people to know he liked that unattainable boy. His eyes filled with tears again. He closed them and hoped to fall asleep soon.

Minho spent the rest of the afternoon talking to Seungmin about Jisung because he knew his cousin would never play with someone, and he would do his best to make him happy.

When night fell, he put on his comfortable pyjamas and lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling in the dark. He felt more intense pain than he could have imagined.

His heart hurt so much that it seemed like it was going to explode in his chest because he felt that no one could truly love him. Besides, he felt overwhelmed by the idea that Seungmin, once again, was the best at everything, even at making Jisung fall in love with him. He closed his eyes tightly while feeling the tears that began to sprout.

The tears betrayed him that night, and he made no effort to stop them because he just wanted to be weak for one night, then recompose himself as always did and pretend that nothing had happened while he crumbled inside.

He was getting used to the suffering.